* Politicians should be careful when they speak about the environment, green energy, and conservation. Younger voters (18-30) are very concerned about details surrounding these issues. Those politicians without a clean energy policy will find themselves unable to gain the support of younger voters.

* Speaking of the environment.....

BP stockholder and Republican congressional candidate, Steve Stivers, has yet to address the deaths and damage caused by the BP oil spill in the gulf. Stivers, who is also a former bank lobbyist, has probably decided not to address the issue because he doesn't want to seem anti- business. If you recall, Stivers has voiced his desires to eliminate certain departments in the federal government.

Page 2 4) Name one or more federal departments or programs that you would introduce legislation to phase out or eliminate. Explain your position.

Stivers' response: This is a hard question, because only four Departments perform Constitutional roles. (State, Defense, Justice & Treasury), so you could eliminate the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Interior, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy and other to return to a constitutionally pure government....

Stivers then went on and "disagreed" with the following statement-----

With Stivers trying to eliminate various departments that safeguard the environment and his laissez-faire attitude about the massive oil disaster in the gulf, he appears to be against protecting our environment.

* According to publishers, Simon & Schuster, Republican candidate, John Kasich, is continuing his book tour. Is Kasich more interested in selling books than his own political campaign?

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) continues to have a re-election edge over challenger John Kasich (R), according to a survey conducted June 22-17 by Quinnipiac University.

The poll , which sampled the opinions of 1,107 registered voters, found Strickland leading 43 percent to 38 percent.

Most telling, though, was the measurement of the candidates' favorability. Ohioans just don't know Kasich well enough to have an opinion; he got thumbs up from 28 percent of those surveyed, thumbs down from 19 percent and 52 percent said they were unable to make a judgment.......

That is definitely good news for Strickland. For those who say they don't know much about Kasich, we can give them this -----

Monday, June 28, 2010

* Why would Republicans on the Senate Judicial committee trash one of the finest Supreme Court Justices, Thurgood Marshall? Are Republicans trying to disrespect, disparage, and smear Justice Marshall because he was the first Black American on the Court? Are Republicans trying to besmirch Justice Marshall because he helped further equality?

Clearly, Republicans on the Judicial Committee are stuck somewhere in the year 1785 in American history--- they seem uncomfortable with the rights of minorities and women.

.....Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, who even by southern Republican standards will win no "Mr. Congeniality" awards, dismissed Justice Marshall - who as chief counsel for the NAACP was one of the epic figures in the history ofd the civil rights struggle and during his judicial tenure emerged as a stalwart defender of the First Amendment rights of dissenters on the right and the left -- as a “well-known liberal activist judge.”

Sessions made his comments to a hearing room where the late justice's son, Thurgood Marshall Jr., was seated behind Kagan, who clerked for the elder Marshall as a young lawyer.

Texas Senator John Cornyn complianed the hearing about Justice Marshall's "judicial philosophy" and argued that "it is clear he considered himself a judicial activist and was unapologetic about it," while Utah Senator Orrin Hatch opined to reporters during a break in the proceedings that much of Justice Marshall's record "really didn't make sense as an obedient student of the practice of law."

Those Republicans are idiots.

**** MS. Magazine has an interesting article in their current issue about how women will benefit with Obama's new health care plan. Women must have maternity coverage and pre-existing conditions will be a thing of the past. Check out MS. Magazine for more of the benefits that will help women.

**** Another day has passed and we have not heard Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist and current BP stockholder, speak about the disastrous BP oil spill in the gulf. Stivers, a Republican congressional candidate, remains quiet about the deaths and environmental disaster. Does he even care?

> John Kasich, a former investment banker with Lehman Brothers, has not released the rest of his tax returns from the time he worked with Lehman. Should we assume that Kasich made millions and millions of dollars while people saw their retirement funds plummet?

John Kasich, Republican candidate for Governor and former investment banker with Lehman Brothers, seems to be trying to get a lot of people angry with him. (See Tim Russo's column over at Plunderbund.) As Russo explains, whether you are a LeBron fan or you come from a rural life, Kasich has done a good job at dismissing your concerns.

Kasich's Congressional voting record should be examined. Here are only two votes from Govtrack.us---

Sunday, June 27, 2010

....there's something fishy -- election-year fishy -- about a partisan clash over a lottery "performance audit" by State Auditor Mary Taylor, a suburban Akron Republican. A performance audit isn't the same as periodic financial audits. The lottery's most recent financial audit -- for the year ending June 30, 2009 -- showed its books met usual accounting standards....

....Also pushing the smell-o-meter: This is the only performance audit Taylor's launched without an agency request. And Taylor is running mate to the GOP candidate for governor, former U.S. Rep. John R. Kasich -- while the lottery answers to Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, whom Kasich wants to unseat....

I know it. You know it. Taylor is playing politics with an audit that wasn't even necessary. How much time and money was wasted by Taylor?

*** The anti-women's reproductive group (AKA Ohio Right to Life) are being criticized by David Ryon. While Republican Steve Stivers was endorsed by the anti- reproductive group, Stivers does believe that women have the right to choose in certain situations. David Ryon is the Constitution Party nominee and he is against abortions for any reason. I'm sure that they'll be lots of discussion on this endorsement.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

* Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (Oh-15th-Democrat) has had a successful week in Congress with her working on the Senate House special committee. Kilroy has worked to protect the average person, especially during these difficult financial times. In her capacity on the FinReg committee, according to the Dispatch, Kilroy got two of her amendments passed:

...One would allow the federal government to provide grants to legal-aid organizations, which could offer legal advice and help to homeowners facing either foreclosure or eviction.The second amendment, which Kilroy drafted, would toughen federal regulations of credit-rating agencies by holding them liable for providing false information to investors....

Thank you, Mary Jo Kilroy!

(I wonder if we had a bank lobbyist in Congress, if he would push forward such pro-consumer legislation. Hmmmmm. I don't think so. Stive Stivers, Republican and former bank lobbyist, is not interested in helping and protecting consumers. We know that because he worked to put caps on liability claims and he was against consumer protection. Steve Stivers. What a great bank lobbyist!)

* Mary Taylor, Auditor for the State of Ohio, is Republican John Kasich's running mate for the upcoming general election. Kasich, a former investment banker with the now bankrupt Lehman Brothers, is running for governor on a promise to eliminate the state income tax. Unfortunately, the voters in Ohio have yet to see a plan on how he'd do that, what departments he'd cut, if he will cut 11,000 state employees, what state assets (parks, forests, highways, buildings, and schools) he'll sell off, etc. Right now, with no platform to run on, Kasich and Taylor are doing nothing but playing with the element of time. Kasich is selling books, having talks with other defeated Republicans, and talking on, and on, and on, and on,........

Republican Mary Taylor, who is still the State Auditor, is now playing politics. She has just discovered (Really? Just a few months before the elections? Really?) embezzlement in the Stark County's Treasurer's office, even though, according to CantonRep, it has been going on since 2003 (when Betty Montgomery, Republican, was State Auditor). The article goes on and to state that the "total theft committed" was $2,464,989.

Earlier this year, it was discovered that Mary Taylor often works out of an office in Canton, which is closer to her home (see Dispatch 2/14/10). All of the state offices are located in Columbus, but Taylor is rarely there. By the way, Canton is located in Stark County.

Republican Mary Taylor is asking us to believe that this embezzlement has been going on in Canton, Stark County since 2003, the location of her satellite office, but she just noticed it????????? How is that possible? Taylor audits the Stark County Treasurer's office every year. Did she just release the embezzlement charge now because it was better to use the information just before the election? If Taylor knew that embezzlement was going on earlier, why didn't she stop it then?

> Mary Taylor is in the news again--------

Now Mary Taylor is playing politics again. She said that she would not release the findings of the audit of the Ohio Lottery. Cleveland:

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said Auditor Mary Taylor needs to set a date for the release of her performance audit of the Ohio Lottery to eliminate the perception that she is playing politics with her office....

....Strickland was reacting to a Plain Dealer story about Taylor's recent decision to delay the release of the lottery audit begun in January.

The story cited a letter by Lottery Director Kathleen Burke that says she was told by the auditor's office that the audit was delayed because Taylor's executive staff wanted auditors to "dig deeper" into some recommendations outlined in the executive summary of a draft.....

I think that someone who knows what is really going on in that lottery audit, should use their own cell phone and on their lunch hour, call the Governor's office or the Attorney General's office, to let them know if Taylor is playing some shenanigans with the numbers.

* Kasich and Taylor met with Mitt "I tied my dog to the roof of my car" Romney, according to WMFD. Big deal. I don't vote for anyone associated with dog abusers.

Friday, June 25, 2010

A conference of House Representatives and Senators agreed early this morning on a sweeping financial regulatory reform bill after weeks of reconciliation between separate House and Senate versions.The reconciled bill establishes the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, ends taxpayer-funded bailouts, brings greater regulation to the derivatives market and provides grants through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help mortgage borrowers facing foreclosure.....

....."I worked from day one to clean up the mess that Wall Street and special interests caused with their greed, bringing our economy to the brink of collapse," said Rep Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH) in a statement. "Wall Street failed Ohioans and Americans when they took bets on no-win investments that led the economy off a cliff. Taxpayers shouldn't ever foot the bill of foolish risk takers who think they can rely on the government bailing them out when they mess up."

It is important to note that bankers and bank lobbyists are not happy with the legislation. Of course, that means it must be good!

------------

*** Thinking about voting in November? Check out the new website,Raise Your Vote, to get information about your particular state's deadlines and requirements. You can get details about what to do if you are a college student away from home, in the military, out of the country, or interested in finding out about early voting.

**** Republican candidate for Ohio governor, John Kasich, has made it no secret that he'd rather be in New York than Ohio. (Although some people think Kasich still wants to run for the White House.) How much does Kasich love New York? I'm so glad you asked! From Ohiodems.org and posted on YouTube:

***************

As Ed Schulz just said on MSNBC-TV, the Senate Republicans rubber stamped trillions of dollars for tax cuts for the rich and two wars under President George W. Bush. Now the Republicans just discovered the national debt. (Did they just wake up?)

Last night the Senate Republicans voted to stop legislation for jobs, extend unemployment benefits for millions of people, and tax breaks for small businesses. Once again the Republicans have demonstrated that they just don't care about average, hard-working Americans, or Hispanics, college students, senior citizens, the poor, etc., etc. Here in Ohio we have the Bush family's best friend--- Rob Portman, as a candidate for U.S. Senate. Portman wants to bring back Bush's policies to Washington, DC. Really?

...Shouts at the recent town hall meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bob Latta to "treat Democrats as enemies," "kill them" and "shoot him in the face." (referring to the President) are unruly mob behavior. Most Republican leaders I respect and worked with, including Latta's father, would have rejected such suggestions as extremist, out-of-place and inappropriate at any public forum.

By his earlier silence, Bob Latta encouraged the more outrageous remarks and behavior. The "win-at-all costs" attitude expressed at the meeting is patently anti-American and threatens the stability of our country and economic recovery. Unfortunately the same attitude prevails among most minority congresspersons who have vowed to use every means possible to "bring down" a lawfully elected president.

Under this strategy what happens to constituents with real problems? They are overlooked because of political expedience and appeals for the votes of the ill-informed. Rehashing the personal, partisan and self-serving rhetoric of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh and deliberate lies presented as "news" on Fox do nothing to address issues.....

Latta, who spends most of his day updating his Twitter account (http://twitter.com/boblatta and http://twitter.com/latta4congress and yet another one, http://latta.amplify.com/category/new-media/) and his other social network accounts, needs to stop trying to fire up the right wing nuts. I'm sure that Latta's constituents would like to see some actual legislation written by Latta. They are waiting for him to deliver something for them instead of spending so much time on his Blackberry. (Visit Latta's Twitter accounts. You'll be shocked at his disrespect for President Obama and Democrats.)

Note: You may also want to check out some of Latta's comments at Republican county meetings (see stevemaloneygop).

*** With the press shy Republican candidate for Congress, Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, it might be time for some TV/newspaper/internet reporters to ask Stivers some questions. The OCTA (Ohio Cable Telecommunications Association) is sponsoring a fundraising event at the Columbus Club, 181 E. Broad Street, at 5:30pm on Monday, June 28th. The press and anti-bank lobbyist individuals might want to try to ask questions of Stivers about:

----- his reluctance to discuss the BP oil spill.
----- how he feels as a BP stockholder when BP has caused deaths and the largest environmental disaster in our country's history. Does he feel comfortable to continue to take profits on his stock?
----- if he feels that BP or any corporation should pay liability claims.
----- why, as a member of the Ohio Senate, he voted against a bill that would have provided scholarships for people with disabilities.
----- why he continues to get large donations from bankers and bank PACs (political action committees).
----- why he is against voters being able to vote for their own U.S. Senators.
----- why he wants to eliminate so many departments in the federal government (Interior, Education, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy).
----- why he favors banks over consumers.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

For the third time, Senate Republicans have blocked legislation to extend unemployment benefits through November and renew dozens of individual and business tax breaks.The vote was 57-41, with 60 votes needed to end debate and advance the bill. All 40 Republicans and one Democrat, Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, objected because the bill would have added $33 billion to the deficit....

"We just can't keep kicking the can down the street and say, 'Oh, we'll take care of it later on. It'll be offset later,'" Sen. George Voinovich, a centrist Republican from Ohio who is retiring, told The Hill. "That's all we've been doing these last couple of years, and I'm fed up with it."

George Voinovich is a heartless idiot. Thank goodness he is retiring because I'm tired of journalists calling him a moderate. He is not. If you'd like to call one of Voinovich's office, here are some telephone numbers: DC- Main: (202) 224-3353;
Cleveland: (216) 522-7095; Nelsonville: (740) 441-6410;
Cincinnati: (513) 684-3265; Toledo: (419) 259-3895; Dayton: (513) 684-3265;
Columbus: (614) 469-6697.

Sharron Angle, the Tea Party candidate in Nevada, seems to think that the unemployed are "spoiled." For more on Angle, see Crooks and Liars.
Crooks and Liars also found this Youtube video on Angle's views:

We have a problem in Ohio with elitist Republicans, especially John Kasich, former Lehman Brothers investment banker.

The Washington Post has documented the latest attack by the Ohio Republicans:

Former Ohio Republican Rep. John Kasich's gubernatorial campaign hit a rough patch Wednesday as a press aide's comments on Gov. Ted Strickland's (D) humble upbringing became a national news story.

In a statement Tuesday, Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols made reference to Strickland's childhood, suggesting the governor doesn't know about urban issues because he grew up "in a chicken shack on Duck Run."

....During an appearance on Fox Radio last week, host Alan Colmes broached Kasich's absence from a music video, which featured many politicos, begging James to stay. "I'm not singing in any chorus for LeBron James," Kasich said. Whoops.....

I think that Kasich's elitist, champagne-sipping, Wall Street-loving, private jet-flying lifestyle might make him think he can make fun of people's humble beginnings, but it won't win him any votes.

I do have a suggestion---- I think that LeBron James should make a two part announcement: (Are you listening, LeBron?)

(1) He will stay in Cleveland.
(2) He will endorse and vote for Gov. Strickland.

That would swat Kasich's hubris.

>>>>> Speaking of elitism---- Another day has passed and Republican candidate for Congress, Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, still has not released a statement about the BP oil spill in the gulf. Is he trying to avoid being asked about his BP stock?

According to Open Secrets, Stivers has been pulling in those contributions from bank employees and bank PACs. (This is just a sampling.)

...former Rep. John Kasich’s campaign to unseat Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland took direct aim at the governor’s modest origins, when spokesman Rob Nichols accused Strickland of mismanaging Ohio’s cities because he grew up “in a chicken shack on Duck Run.”

The comments came in response to a speech on urban policy by Strickland’s running mate, Yvette Brown, who recalled: “When Ted Strickland led a congregation in his small Methodist church, he put up a sign. It read, ‘Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever color you are, you are welcome here.’”

..."Only the congressman from Wall Street would be so out of touch as to insult Ted's humble upbringing. While Congressman Kasich may have spent a lot of time in boardrooms at Lehman Brothers and rubbing elbows with lobbyists at cocktail parties in Washington, Ohioans are looking for a Governor who will represent their values-and clearly that is not John Kasich,” she shot back....

Also,the Washington Monthly questioned the wisdom of the Kasich campaign to joke about someone's humble beginnings:

....As if that weren't enough, the Kasich campaign also mocked Strickland's modest upbringing the day before, saying the governor doesn't care about urban areas because he was raised "in a chicken shack on Duck Run."Is this really where the Republican campaign wants to go? After John Kasich left Congress, he split time between Fox News and Lehman Brothers ... and now his campaign wants to insult the governor based on his modest upbringing?DNC Chairman Tim Kaine appeared in Cleveland today, and defended Strickland: "I noticed that the other campaign yesterday ridiculed him for 'growing up in a chicken shack on Duck Run Ohio.' I don't know why they thought that's a bad thing, but maybe that's how it looks from the perspective of a Lehman Brothers consultant."In the 21st century, it's rare, even for wealthy Republicans, to go out of their way to run a pro-elitist statewide campaign. It's curious move for a candidate whose polls seem to be moving in the wrong direction, and we'll see if this strategy works out well for Kasich...

<
Blunder #2, as reported by NBC Sports has to do with Kasich's refusal to join with Ohioans to keep LeBron James in Cleveland.

Another day has passed and we still haven't heard Republican candidate for Congress Steve Stivers, talk about the largest environmental disaster in our country's history. Stivers, a former bank lobbyist and current BP stockholder, appears to be trying to ignore the deaths, environmental damage, and safety problems BP experienced with the drill rig on the gulf. Is this the way that Stivers would proceed in Congress----- ignore the obvious, but to continue to work to protect banker profits and corporate liability?

Is this how Republican control of Congress would work? (see the video below)

Will Stivers respond or is he too busy rubbing elbows with bankers, bank lobbyists, and other BP stockholders?

* Do you remember the book "Where's Waldo?" I think Ohioans want to see a new book called "Where's Kasich?" because we just haven't seen or heard from Kasich for a long time. John Kasich, former investment banker for the now bankrupt Lehman Brothers, has been on his book tour. At this time, he seems to have abandoned his campaign for governor to promote his new book. (Rumors are flying that Kasich plans to use a win as governor to help him run for the White House.)

By the way, has Kasich released his tax returns yet?

**** Where is Jon Husted? The Republican candidate for Ohio Secretary of State seems to be out of sight. With the recess in the state legislature, is Husted spending more time in his abandoned home in Kettering?

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Justin Coussoule, an attorney, a West Point graduate and former Army officer, is the Democratic candidate running against Republican John Boehner for Ohio's 8th congressional district. I had the honor of interviewing Justin Coussoule.

Justin Coussoule feels that our men and women who serve and have served in the military, are precious natural resources. We should honor our vets and make sure that they receive the proper medical, psychological, and emotional support they need in a timely manner.

Coussoule has called the oil spill in the gulf "an environmental nightmare." As a nation, he said, we should move toward clean energy and put our people to work to create clean sustainable energy. With unemployment at 12% in Boehner's district, Coussoule believes future jobs will be in the area of manufacturing products that promote clean energy. With empty businesses, storefronts, and unemployed citizens in the 8th district, Coussoule feels that Boehner has ignored the needs of his own constituents.

Coussoule pointed out that Ohio's 8th district has more Independent voters than Republicans, and more Democrats than Republicans. Boehner may lose some of his usual base because of candidates representing the Libertarian Party and the Constitutional Party.

People outside of the 8th district may think that John Boehner is beloved by all his constituents. This is false. Boehner lives in a gated golf community and he spends many weekends out of his district golfing and raising campaign funds. Boehner actually has very little contact with his constituents and many are resentful that Boehner has done very little to bring jobs, and economic growth to his district. During his twenty years in Congress, Boehner has supported the earmarks of others in Congress, but he has not delivered to his own constituents. Many people in the 8th district want to know why they never see Boehner in his own district. They feel that Boehner lives in a "bubble" and is uninterested in their daily lives. As Coussoule said, "We expect our public servants to be in the district to hear the concerns of the people."

Justin and his wife, Amanda, have been married for ten years and have two children. Justin Coussoule is the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 8th district. Visit his website and his Facebook page to learn more about the issues and offer him your support.

Have you noticed that Republican congressional candidate Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, has had nothing to say about the BP oil disaster in the gulf? I kept wondering and waiting for his response about the loss of lives, dangerous working conditions, loss of natural habitats, and loss of income that those on the coast have experienced. Stivers has said nothing.

Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15th-Democrat) and others have noticed that Stivers has remained mum about the explosions, the lives lost, and damage to the gulf. Why would Stivers stay quiet?

Examiner.com has some background on Steve Stivers history of reducing corporate liability and his pro-business stance. Kilroy's campaign manager, Josh Levin, released a statement concerning Steve Stivers and his silence on the oil tragedy.

"Steve Stivers spent most of his career trying to protect the interests of corporate giants," Levin said in his email. "When the spill happened, Mary Jo Kilroy stood up to protect taxpayers and demand that BP be held accountable, but we haven't heard a word from Steve Stivers."

Levin said Stivers both supports offshore drilling and is a BP stockholder. Moreover, his history of working to reduce regulation and limit liabilities for major corporations is clear. In 2004, Levin noted, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that he exchanged an "exultant high-five" with a lobbyist after the passage of a bill to limit damages in lawsuits.

"Stivers lobbied for the big banks, and as a Senator he was a champion for corporate interests that wanted to limit their liabilities," Levin said, adding, "Steve Stivers wanted to protect some manufacturers from paying for damages caused by their actions - would he do the same for BP?"

Steve Stivers has displayed a lack of interest and engagement on the entire oil disaster. I think it is very troubling. Stivers hasn't even offered a statement to express sympathy to the families of those killed by the explosion of the drilling rig. Is Stivers more concerned with his BP stock profits than the deaths of oil rig workers? Is Stivers more interested in reducing BP's liability than cleaning up the environment? Is this another example of how Steve Stivers would protect corporations instead of people and the environment?

People in Ohio's 15th congressional district have to ask themselves if Steve Stivers and his pro-corporation, pro-bank profits, anti-consumer, and anti-environmental views are what they want in Congress.

We may need to call Steve Stivers at his campaign office (614-358-0800) and find out where he stands on the BP oil disaster. Does he feel the same way as Rep. Joe Barton that the White House was involved in a "shakedown" of BP? Is Stivers on the side of regular people or BP and corporations?

(For more additional information about the lack of a response from Steve Stivers, please check the link to the Examiner for the complete story.)

What? The Ohio Bankers' League (OBL) and Republican Steve Stivers (a former bank lobbyist), oppose an amendment to cut bank debit-card fees????!!!! Hmmm. Isn't it the goal of the OBL and bank lobbyists to protect bank profits?

In an article in the Dispatch, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15th-Democrat) notes her support for the amendment offered by Sen. Richard Durbin "....that would limit the interchange fees - currently between 1 percent and 2percent per purchase - to an amount "reasonable and proportional" to the actual cost of processing transactions. Durbin's amendment also would allow merchants to offer discounts for cash purchases and to refuse debit-card payments for small purchases.

Kilroy said she supports Durbin's amendment, although she said it might need to be tweaked to ensure passage....."

Those bankers and bank lobbyists don't want anyone eating away at their profits. How will they be able to pay for their memberships to country clubs and play golf at exclusive golf courses? OMG. Will these bankers and bank lobbyists be forced to give up their expensive wines and fancy dinners because their bonuses might disappear? Oh, the horror!

I'm all for businesses and banks making a profit, but not if regular citizens are victimized in the process. The Durbin amendment protects the public. The bankers and bank lobbyists are just trying to protect their obscene profits.

Monday, June 21, 2010

....In the 12th District, which includes northeastern Franklin County, western Licking County and all of Delaware County, Democrat Cynthia L. Ruccia of Bexley said opposition to an increase by U.S. Rep. John R. Kasich of Westerville is "more evidence he is out of touch with people in central Ohio."

She said Kasich and 217 other Republicans blocked a floor vote on a Democratic proposal to raise the minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.15 an hour....

This is proof that the Kasich of 1996 was out of touch with regular people just as he is out of touch today. Kasich doesn't get it. While he'll work to get tax cuts to millionaires, eliminate 11,000 state workers, and remove funding to counties, cities, and villages by removing the state income tax, your local city taxes will skyrocket. How are local governments expected to make up the millions of dollars they'll lose without state funding?

Is the company started by Steve Stivers, Restructure Consultants LLC, a real business? Sure, it was registered at the Ohio Secretary of State's office, but can you find a web site listed for Restructure Consultants LLC in Columbus, Ohio? Is there a telephone number/business address for this company? As of this moment, I haven't found anything online, but I might be searching in the wrong places (I've searched both Google and Yahoo.) (Note: There appears to be several "Restructure Consultants" named companies in the U.S. and overseas that are listed on the web, but none have a full listing for Columbus.) Is Stivers so confident that he'll beat Mary Jo Kilroy that he doesn't need to work that hard at his business?

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver and Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan on Tuesday announced the Assembly on Monday will vote to override Gov. Chris Christie’s vetoes of property tax relief for more than 600,000 New Jersey senior and disabled citizens.

The bills (A-10 and A-20) providing senior and disabled citizens with up to $1,295 in property tax relief by restoring a surcharge on 16,000 millionaires passed the Assembly and the Senate on May 20, only to be immediately vetoed by Gov. Christie. Both bills passed the Assembly 46-32. Vetoes can be overridden with 54 votes....

....An analysis prepared by the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services reported that under the Christie plan, a retired couple living on a fixed income of $40,000 would see a $1,320 increase in taxes while a family making $1.2 million would receive a tax cut of $11,598.....

I can hear the battle cry from the Republicans, "Protect the Millionaires, Oil Companies, Bankers, Charter Schools!!!!!"

While John Kasich pocketed bonuses at Lehman Brothers, retirees, widows, state pension funds, lost millions of dollars. Do we want the Lehman Brothers philosophy (the rich get richer) at work in Ohio?

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Every week there seems to be another revelation about Republican John Kasich, Lehman Brothers, and some pension fund controversy. Here is the latest from iStockAnalyst.com:

A liberal organization called on Ohio's largest pension system yesterday to suspend a top executive and investigate whether she colluded with Republican John Kasich's gubernatorial campaign to manipulate reporting on the pension system's dealings with a company where Kasich used to work.

ProgressOhio said Carol Nolan Drake, chief external-affairs officer for the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, might have stepped over the line in her dealings with Scott Milburn, the Kasich campaign's communication director....

.....ProgressOhio Executive Director Brian Rothenberg noted that Milburn and Drake had both worked in Republican Gov. Bob Taft's administration. Milburn was the governor's press secretary while Drake oversaw the merger of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services and the Department of Human Services in 1999 and 2000....

The word "collude" is defined by Merriam-Webster as "conspire, plot." Very interesting.

Friday, June 18, 2010

* While we've all been shocked by Rep. Joe Barton's apology to BP, we must understand that Barton was once an executive with ARCO, which was acquired by BP. Barton was pressured to later retract his statements because (1) the Republicans hope to recapture the House of Representatives in the fall election, and (2) if the GOP is in the majority in the House, Joe Barton, Mr. Apology to BP, would then become the Chairman of the House Energy Committee. Wow. Can you think of anything scarier than that? We'd be back to allowing the oil companies to do whatever they want (like under Bush-Cheney). With Barton's ties to big oil, who knows what he'd allow them to do.

One way to stop Republicans from gaining a majority is to elect Democrats. As it stands now, Republicans have done nothing to help our country move forward except delay, obstruct, put holds on appointments, and write worthless amendments to bills that slow down the legislative process.

Here in central Ohio, we have Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15th-Democrat) who has demonstrated her hard work and willingness to help her constituents improve their lives. Kilroy voted for the health care reform law, bills to hold Wall Street accountable, and bills to get people back to work after the recession (which started in 2007 when Bush was President).

On the other side of the aisle, we have Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, and friend to bankers and Wall Street. Where does Stivers stand on issues?

Here is a sample of how far right Steve Stivers has moved. In a 912 survey created by a group of Glenn Beck followers, Stivers answered several pages of questions. This is just one question and one answer provided by Steve Stivers, Republican.

4) Name one or more federal departments or programs that you would introduce legislations to phase out or eliminate. Explain your position.

This is a hard question, because only four Departments perform Constitutional roles. (State, Defense, Justice & Treasury), so you could eliminate the department of Agriculture, Education, Interior, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy and others to return to a constitutionally pure government.

One example I would eliminate is the Department of the Interior - The Department of the Interior is responsible for managing land owned by the federal government (about one-third of the land in the United States). Their mismanagement has resulted in significant environmental problems for example in the Florida Everglades or the Old Timber in the Pacific Northwest. The Interior Department should be abolished, and those lands that have recreational or historical value should be sold or given to private conservation groups. Those groups would do a better job of preserving these cherished lands than has the federal government. Lands that have commercial value (such as timber and grazing lands) should be sold to the private business concerns that currently lease them from the federal government or to environmentalists who wish to buy them for conservation purposes...

We do not need one more bank lobbyist in Congress. We do not need someone willing to sell off our nation's preserves and historical landmarks to private enterprises. We do not need someone who feels more compelled to protect rich bankers and their bonuses instead of Mr. and Mrs. Average. We don't need right winger, Steve Stivers in Congress.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

What the heck is going on with the right wing blogs? A few right wing bloggers are misrepresenting the truth about Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy. They seem to be confused about Kilroy's voting record. There was a vote to release money from Tarp (often called Tarp 2), and Kilroy voted against it.

It might be that some of these Ohio right wing bloggers are embarrassed by the beating that John Kasich took yesterday from Joan Walsh when they both appeared on MSNBC's Hardball. It was brutal. Kasich looked like an idiot.

Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15th-Democrat) is being opposed by a former bank lobbyist, Republican Steve Stivers. When he served in the State Senate, Stivers voted against state oversight of mortgages, stem cell research, decreasing the interest rates of check cashing companies, against forcing health insurance companies to cover the costs of contraception medication, and even a Disability Scholarship Fund. His buddies and big contributors continue to be bankers and those connected with finance. These bankers and finance people want Stivers in Congress so they can get legislation to protect their bonuses and profits. Steve Stivers is a banker's dream candidate--- a former bank lobbyist with sympathies for bankers!

Bankers and people in finance love Steve Stivers sooo, sooo, sooo much, that they've contributed $584,000 to his campaign. The Ohio Bankers League even had a fund raiser for Stivers in 2008 (which was against election laws: FEC case 6033).

Steve Stivers has lots of plans if he is elected to Congress. Stivers has proposed repealing the 16th and 17th Amendments. Seriously. Here are some other things Stivers wants to eliminate/repeal that I wrote about on this blog on June 9, 2010:

1. Repeal the health care reform bill2. Repeal the 16th Amendment to the Constitution3. Repeal the 17th Amendment to the Constitution4. Eliminate the Department of Agriculture5. Eliminate the Department of Education6. Eliminate the Department of the Interior7. Eliminate the Department of Housing of and Urban Development8. Eliminate the Department of Transportation9. Eliminate the Department of Energy

Stivers has definitely gone over to the far right.

Meanwhile, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy's work in Congress has been applauded by many people in Ohio and the nation.

...Mary Jo gathered leaders from the state’s business, academic, and government communities to form a well-rounded approach on how to keep Ohio’s economy moving forward.This particular meeting, the second in a series Mary Jo is organizing, focused on bioscience, an industry that represents 50,000 jobs across the state....

...Con. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) has introduced remarkable legislation that would ensure companies couldn't consider paid off or settled medical debt when assessing individuals' credit scores -- a policy difference that would literally change the lives of Americans around the country...

Today freshman U.S. Representative Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) passed an amendment to the Wall Street reform conference committee bill that would hold credit rating agencies accountable for their actions by closing a long-standing loophole that allows credit rating agencies like Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s to escape liability for making false statements. From 2004 to 2007 credit rating agencies took in hundreds of millions of dollars as they rubber stamped thousands of risky mortgage deals for Wall Street....

.....Specifically, Kilroy’s amendment nullifies Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 436(g) to hold all credit rating agencies liable under Section 11 of the Securities Act. Section 11 was enacted in the wake of the Great Depression to ensure that the information provided with a securities offering is accurate. Other financial services experts, including accountants, auditors, lawyers, investment bankers and the issuer’s director, officers and executives, are currently held to this standard....

Which person will work for YOU in Congress----

Kilroy, a proven leader with demonstrated concern for her constituents

or

Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist and banker's BFF who is more concerned with bankers, and their bonuses?

John Kasich and Joan Walsh were guests on Hardball with Chris Matthews. Kasich kept droning on and on. He talked about the liberal elite. Liberal elite? Kasich is a millionaire who is accustomed to flying on private jets. Isn't that elite?

On "Hardball" today former Ohio congressman and GOP gubernatorial candidate John Kasich was hawking his new book as well as his pro-Tea Party politics. By modern standards, Kasich (at least during his House career) might be considered a moderate: He was a fiscal hawk, but he wasn't a demonizer. He voted for President Clinton's assault rifle ban (and he's currently paying for it; the NRA has endorsed Gov. Ted Strickland in the race) and he was even known to collaborate with former Rep. Ron Dellums to cut Pentagon waste.

The 2010 Kasich likes to boast that he was "in the Tea Party before there was a Tea Party," has reversed his stand against assault rifles, and is of course running to his right to try to defeat Strickland. On "Hardball" today, he was disowning the fringe, Birther element of the Tea Partiers and talking up the wholesome anti-tax, small government, energizing strain of the movement. He claimed moderate GOP Sen. Scott Brown as a Tea Party victory, and he didn't like it when I noted that Brown has been running away from the right ever since he got elected. But Kasich got to me when he started talking about the Tea Party's anti-elitism, that they're "blue collar Democrats" worried about the future. This is likewise Pat Buchanan's line, and of course I'm supposed to be the symbol of liberal elitism. So I thought it was fair to point out that Kasich left Congress and went to work at Lehman Brothers Holdings, hardly a bastion of anti-elitism. The video's below.

It's become an issue in Kasich's race for governor, because the Ohio employees pension fund, like many, took a big hit when Lehman collapsed. (The same thing happened in Florida, and will be a big reason why former Lehman guy Jeb Bush might find a comeback difficult.) The Columbus Dispatch reported that Kasich himself pitched Lehman holdings to the pension fund board in 2002, although that conversation didn't directly result in Lehman business. Only today, the Associated Press revealed that a Kasich operative advised a state pension fund executive on how to minimize Lehman's role in the fund's losses when talking to reporters. So Kasich was understandably a little sensitive about the issue, accused me of a "smear" and complained that I was "picking on" him. He also advised me to read his book "so you can learn how to control yourself." Yikes! It's called "Hardball," sir....

Kasich looked like a fool trying to sell his book while jabbering on and on and on. I'd like to thank Joan Walsh for smacking down Kasich and turning him into a whimpering whiner.

*** A person who works for Kasich has attacked Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, and lied about her record.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Associated Press has an explosive story that shows that Kasich campaign spokesman Scott Milburn instructed state pension executives friendly to the Kasich campaign what to tell the media about revelations of state pension losses attributed to Lehman Bros....

E-mail shows a campaign operative of Republican John Kasich (KAY'-sihk) gave a state pension fund advice on how to explain its Lehman Brothers losses to reporters.

A message obtained by The Associated Press was sent May 3 amid efforts by Democrats to tie the Lehman losses to Kasich. The GOP candidate for governor worked for a time at the now-defunct investment bank.

In the e-mail, Kasich spokesman Scott Milburn told an Ohio Public Employee Retirement System executive to explain that not all the money it lost was a result of the Lehman bankruptcy....

According to Fox 8, OPERS originally estimated their loss at $111 million. According to the Dispatch, OPERS (Ohio Public Employee Retirement System) lost $368 million. Someone who worked for Kasich's campaign gave talking points to an executive at OPERS on how to talk to the press? Why am I not surprised? Is this another one of those Republican coverups?

Fox & Friends twice falsely reported that Ohio has lost 400,000 jobs "under the Obama administration," and advanced the claim that as a result, Obama "has a lot of 'splaining to do." In fact, the 400,000 figure includes job losses that occurred for two years before Obama took office in the midst of a deep recession....

...Ohio lost 393,568 jobs from January 2007 to December 2009, the bulk of which came after the recession began in December 2007. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in Ohio fell 393,568 from a peak of 5,661,252 in January 2007 (two years before Obama was inaugurated) to 5,267,594 in December 2009. From seasonally adjusted BLS Ohio employment data:

OMG! OMG! OMG! The Republicans and their cable channel have been lying!

Bignews:U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) visited St. Stephen's Community House in Columbus today to outline how the new health care law will provide immediate assistance to an estimated 156,000 Ohio seniors when they reach the "donut hole."

...Eligible Ohio seniors who fall into the donut hole will start receiving $250 checks as soon as Monday thanks to the new health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Seniors who qualify will automatically receive the checks and do not need to sign up.

Starting next year, Medicare seniors in the donut-hole will receive a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs and coverage will increase until 2020, when 75 percent coverage on all drugs purchased will eliminate the donut hole. Additionally, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will maintain and improve Medicare benefits for seniors by providing seniors with free physicals and low or no-cost preventive services like screenings and colonoscopies. The law includes incentives for care coordination to improve health care quality and to better spend the more than 90 percent of Medicare dollars spent on treating chronic conditions....

That certainly is good news.

**** Cincinnati.com has some news about the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Lee Fisher and Republican Rob Portman:

....When Republican Rob Portman went on the air last week with an ad touting his job creation plan and his on-going tour of Ohio factories, the campaign of Democrat Lee Fisher- which, unlike Portman, doesn’t have the dollars just yet for a full-blown early TV ad campaign – answered with a web ad that blasts Portman’s years in Congress and in the administration of George W. Bush, making the argument that Portman cost Ohio jobs. You can see the web ad here....

Portman will always be associated as Bush's budget director and we all know what a mess they created.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

I really feel sorry for people who believe everything they hear and see on a certain right wing cable channel. If people took the time to read various types of materials, like newspapers, documents, and research, they'd find that the truth is out there.

It is apparent that shortcuts were made by BP that caused this oil disaster. Despite the fact that BP and some on the right claim that BP has had a stellar safety record, they are wrong. BP has had a horrible safety record, as noted here, here, here, and here. No matter what the oil apologists on the right say, BP has not operated as safely as they've claimed.

By the way, what is happening to the fish, dolphins, tortoises, jellyfish, sharks, and other sea life that are washing up dead on the beaches? Who is removing them? BP? Someone else?

It is time that we look to other sources for energy. In other countries, energy sources, other than fossil fuels, are being used to heat homes, power machines, and fuel transportation. Why are we behind? We've got to break our addiction to oil.

**** Republican leader, John Boehner, suggested that taxpayers pay for the clean up of the BP spill. Boehner is wrong. Boehner has done little to help our citizens improve their lives and now he suggests that we open our wallets to bail out BP. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

John Boehner has been a good friend to certain businesses. The Tucson Sentinel has done some research on how and where Boehner gets his campaign donations.

Long before Congressman John Boehner of Ohio rose to his current position as House Republican Leader, he created the "Thursday Group" — a weekly discussion around a U.S. Capitol conference room table with conservative and business lobbyists, including representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other influential trade associations. In Washington, those sorts of relationships often pay dividends.

So perhaps it's no surprise that Boehner's top career donors include a lobbyist-turned-tobacco executive, two former CEOs of an insurance company, the head of a coal company, and a former telecommunications lobbyist, as well as corporate political action committees for two tobacco behemoths, two shipping companies, and four financial services firms and associations....

....He has been a strong opponent of anti-tobacco legislation as well. While Ohio has no tobacco manufacturing facilities, the most recent data available showed the Buckeye State was home to 475 tobacco farms in 2007, though the total has declined dramatically in recent years. Boehner has also reliably opposed the Obama administration — on the stimulus package, health care reform, Children's Health Insurance Program reauthorization, and financial regulation. One hundred days into Obama's administration, Boehner said the Democratic legislative agenda made him "want to throw up."

Boehner's legislative work makes me "want to throw up." All Boehner is doing is stopping, delaying, obstructing, and preventing legislative work. He has not helped anyone except his lobbyist contributors. He shouldn't brag about his lack of accomplishments. Boehner's only constituency appears to be the Chamber of Commerce, tobacco, coal companies, lobbyists, and other well-funded groups.

U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, the only Ohio member of a committee tasked with pushing through Wall Street reforms, spoke yesterday with constituents who urged her to keep up the heat on mortgage lenders who, they said, contributed to foreclosures through slippery business practices.....

....Most of the constituents spoke about their difficulties in dealing with mortgage lenders, particularly as loans are swapped among various companies. They said the lenders impose punitive fees and offer few opportunities for buyers to make payment arrangements to keep their homes....

Kilroy's meeting with constituents was the right thing to do. Can you imagine any Ohio Republican member of Congress, or even Republican candidate Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, meeting to talk about the abuses of mortgage lenders?

OH-Gov: Strickland grabs endorsement normally reserved for GOPYou can probably count on one hand the number of Democrats who can swing an endorsement from the National Rifle Association (NRA) in a competitive race against a legitimate GOP challenger. Yet that is precisely what has happened in Ohio, where Democratic Governor Ted Strickland earned the endorsement of the organization over Republican John Kasich....

It is amazing how the Kasich campaign team is now "dissing" the importance of the NRA endorsement. In case you're interested-----Kasich still hasn't released all this tax returns.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Rob Portman, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate for Ohio, is using the same GOP playbook and script. Portman has called for tax cuts. Really. Tax cuts seem irresponsible at this time in our recovery, but that hasn't stopped Portman for suggesting them.

In a commentary posted at the Dayton Daily News Portman's tax cut proposal seems like a political ploy instead of a thoughtful, well-researched plan.

...There is only one problem with Portman’s call for tax reductions: the laws of mathematics.

At a time when federal deficits exceed $1 trillion, extending the tax cuts “makes getting back to fiscal sustainability a lot more difficult,’’ said Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, a Washington organization that champions balanced budgets.

Here is how deep a fiscal hole the nation is in. Assume that Congress does nothing and the tax cuts expire at the end of the year. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the government would still run a $1 trillion deficit in the 2011 federal spending year, as well as huge deficits through 2020....

Portman's tax cut proposal is wrong for this time. However, I'm not surprised. Please remember that Portman was a member of the Bush administration and we know how their decisions in the past have impacted our lives today.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, picked up the support of the National Rifle Association Monday, offering voters a reminder of his culturally conservative views as he battles Republican John Kasich in a difficult re-election bid....

"Our members will interpret your 'A+' rating and endorsement as an indication that you are a pro-Second Amendment, pro-hunting candidate who supports sportsmen and gun-owners on every issue," said Chris Cox, the chairman of the NRA's Political Victory Fund, in a letter to Strickland provided to CNN by a source familiar with the decision.....

....On Friday, Strickland's campaign announced having $7.7 million on hand for the campaign – a $2 million advantage over Kasich....

We'll see what Kasich's people make of this. With Kasich's investment banker background and his role on various companies' Board of Directors, Kasich does seem out of the loop. Kasich has continued to cozy up to bankers, lobbyists, and CEO's. When he talks about getting rid of special interests, he isn't talking about those bankers and lobbyists. Kasich's targets are working people like teachers, plumbers, electricians, nurses, carpenters, state employees, etc., because they belong to unions. Kasich would never attack his banking buddies and lobbyists!

*** People are talking about ----- how the Republicans and Steve Stivers tried to "manipulate" his primary challengers(see Dispatch). ----- the story in the Plain Dealer that notes Kasich's "....arrogance is legendary..." ----- the possibility that Kasich's tax returns are hiding something.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Plain Dealer has a very interesting opinion piece today about the upcoming state elections. Writer Brent Larkin sizes up the various contests and picks his winners and losers. Here are some excerpts from the Plain Dealer:Governor:A great many Republicans think this one is pretty much over, arguing Strickland can't overcome the anti-incumbent sentiment and loss of more than 400,000 jobs....

Attorney General:....And (Mike) DeWine's long record as a legislator will allow (Richard) Cordray to criticize DeWine's votes supporting taxes and banks....

Secretary of State:...Mary Ellen O'Shaughnessy has the potential to be a formidable opponent and will hit (Jon) Husted, now a Dayton-area state senator, on the controversy over his residency....

The title of today's blog entry is actually from the opinion piece by Larkin. Anyone who has ever met or worked with Kasich knows that his ego is huge. That explains why he talks about himself so much. I don't know if Ohioans can handle a governor who is cold, crass, and suffering from a huge case of hubris.

....Maryellen is running for Secretary of State because she is passionate about our democracy and wants Ohio to continue to have free, open, and fair elections. As Ohio's next Secretary of State, she will advocate greater participation and more civic awareness. She will push to make it easy for Ohioans to register to vote by allowing applicants for driver's licenses and social services to be provided assured voter registration, unless they opt out, and promote changes to make it possible for citizens to securely register to vote on the Internet. She will also enhance programs targeted at increasing voter participation among Ohioans of all ages, particularly young people....

I must have missed Republican Husted's goals to have greater voter participation. The last thing Republicans want is more people voting!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

*******UPDATE: Earlier today I drove by the Kasich rally in Dublin, Ohio, at Coffman High School. The parking lots were not full. Even though supporters were told to print off their tickets to the rally, it was apparent that tickets were being given away by the lone volunteer. Is it possible that Dublinites are not buying what Kasich is selling? Even the traffic surrounding the event was very light.

A letter to the editor of the Columbus Dispatch describes how the Ohio GOP tried to clear the primary field for their candidate, Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist. The letter, written by GOP candidate for Ohio's 15th, John Adams, suggests that Republicans tried to clear the path for Stivers. I'm sure the DCCC will be interested.

During our meeting, he pointed out that Steve Stivers, a Republican candidate for the same office, would prefer “to conserve his money and efforts” for the general election in November 2010 and not be subjected to a primary campaign....

....According to (David) Ryon, Stivers met with him the next day to discuss Ryon’s Constitution Party candidacy. This is particularly disturbing for a candidate of the Republican Party to cross party lines and attempt to “clear the field” of a candidate in the Constitution Party....

The Ohio Republicans are working behind the scenes to make sure that Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, and an advocate to repeal the 16th & 17th Amendments to the Constitution, doesn't have to have any hassles during this election year. What other shenanigans have the Ohio and Franklin Co. GOPers involved themselves in to help Stivers?

Friday, June 11, 2010

I visited John Kasich's new website called Fix Ohio Now. Unfortunately, Kasich has no plan to fix Ohio, but he wants YOU to give him your ideas. You'd think that with a website that shouts fix Ohio, John Kasich would have provided a some strategy, an outline, or hint of what he intends to do. No way.

Kasich is willing to attack and complain about Gov. Strickland, but Kasich remains unwilling and unable to present his own proposals.

...Strickland’s campaign announced Friday it beat Kasich in cash raised over the past three months, maintaining a $2 million advantage over his Republican rival.

The first-term Democratic governor hauled in $1.3 million between April 23 and June 10 and has stockpiled $7.7 million for what is expected to be one of the marquee gubernatorial contests in the country this cycle. Kasich raised $1.27 million in the same stretch, and has $5.7 million on hand.

Campaign manager Aaron Pickrell said the $11.5 million Strickland has raised totals more than any incumbent governor in Ohio history....

Way to go, Ted!

**** Plunderbund has some additional details about the Kasich campaign and fundraising:

....John Kasich spent over three quarters of a million since the pre-primary finance report. And almost all of the spending is on consultants, (pollster and fundraising consultants).

His biggest campaign expense is Brooke Bodney, a Republican campaign finance consultant in Arizona. Yep, you read that right. John Kasich has outsourced his campaign fundraising outside of the State. So much for creating jobs in Ohio…

* When you do a Google search for Kasich, one of the links is to the University of Delaware noting a book release by one of their graduates. The book, written by Mark T. Williams, is called Uncontrolled Risk: The Lessons of Lehman Brothers and How Systemic Risk Can Still Bring Down the World Financial System.

...the state has spent the past five years reducing taxes, individual income tax rates falling by almost 17 percent, the homestead exemption on property taxes expanded and business taxes slashed $1.6 billion annually. Second, Republicans point to Strickland for the state losing 430,000 jobs. Are they saying the tax cuts haven't worked? Or is the fair conclusion that the governor isn't to blame for a national recession?

...All of this is indicative of a hollowness at the core of the Kasich campaign. He wants credit for balancing the federal budget without telling the complete story. He boasts about his business experience yet won't share the details of his time at the reckless Lehman Brothers, let alone what he may have learned or his complete income tax returns. Now he pledges that he won't stand for tax increases without explaining how he would cover a huge budget hole.

Remember the Republican majority in the Ohio Senate struggling last year with a relatively puny $851 million deficit? Many in the caucus said no to postponing the final installment of the income tax cut. They failed to come up with a coherent plan for closing the gap through spending cuts....

How long will Ohioans have to wait for a detailed response? What are the risks we face with a Kasich administration?

**** Last night Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota was on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Pawlenty said he had cut taxes in his state. When Stewart asked him what happened when local cities lost state funding, Pawlenty noted that it was up to the local cities/counties to decide either to make cuts or raise their own taxes. Isn't that what Kasich plans to do---- cut state taxes? Wouldn't that also leave an unfair burden on Ohio's local communities just as it has happened in Minnesota?

Thursday, June 10, 2010

.....On another note, as I prepare to become Ohio’s next Secretary of State....

Wait a minute! Have we already had the general election? Did I miss it?

* * * Sen. Murkowski's proposal to strip the EPA of the power to regulate green house gases did not pass today in the Senate. In looking at the list of Senators who supported Murkowski's stupid legislation, we see that George Voinovich voted "Yes" to pass the proposal. Voinovich has always hated any legislation that promotes a clean environment. Shame on anyone who voted "YES" to support Murkowski's bill: (U.S. Senate)

"This is not an environmental disaster: Oil has seeped into this ocean for centuries and will continue to do it," Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, said last week.

Kentucky Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul, in an interview last month, blasted the Obama Administration for its rhetoric about putting a "boot heel" to the throat of BP. "Maybe sometimes accidents happen," Paul added....